Player-piano.



T. HOLVERSON.

PLAYER PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED AU(.I7. I9I7. 1,252,1 1 l. Patented Jan. 1,1918.

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

THOMAS HOLVERSON, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PLAYER-PIANO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 1, 1918.

Application filed August 17, 1917. Serial No. 186,770.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS HoLvERsoN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of l'Vashington, in the District of Columbia, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in PlayerPia1ios, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in player pianos, and has for its objectto provide mechanism for connecting the pneumatics with the wind trunk,in such manner that any individual pneumatic may be removed withoutdisturbing the others should such removal be necessary for any reason.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the mechanism of a pianoplayer;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a part of the supporting mechanism forthe wind trunk and the pneumatics;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one end of the pneumatic.

In the present embodiment. of the invention, the frame 1 which carriesthe two tiers of pneumatics is connected and supported in the usualmanner, and the wind trunks 2 which supply the respective tiers are, asusual, substantially right triangular in cross section, having theirhypotenuse sides rounded. The pneumatics 3, which are of the usualconstruction, are detachably connected with the wind trunks and with thechannel plates l which are supported by the frame at the rear of therespective tiers of pneumatics. These plates are arranged with theirchannels upward, and the pneumatics with the valves 5 are supportedbetween the channel plates and the wind trunks.

The pneumatics are arranged with their upper surfaces in Contact withthe base of the wind trunk and the valve boxes abut at their forwardends against the rear wall of the wind trunk. Each valve box has anupstanding pin 6 at its forward end, and a curved clamping plate 7engages the rounded side of the wind trunk and has depending lugs S atits forward end which are secured to the front end of the pneumatic, asindicated at 9, and the plate has a slot 10 at its upper end forreceiving the pin 6. It will be noticed that the pin 6 and the pins 9which engage the slot 10 and the lugs 8, respectively, are beveled insuch manner that when the slot 10 is engaged with the lug 6 the openingsof the lugs 8 may be slipped over the pins 9.

The channel plates are notched at each pneumatic in their forward sides,as indicated at 10a, the notches extending through the front side walland into the bottom, and the notch in the front wall is for permittingthe passage of the rearwardly extending plate 11 which is secured to thefixed member of the pneumatic at the rear end thereof. The regulatingpin 12`of the movable member of the pneumatic extends through the notchin the bottoni of the plate and through the plate 11, as shown in Fig.2, andthe stop 12a on the pin has a cushion 13 of felt or the like forengaging the plate 4.

To remove the pneumatic it is only necessary to spring the lugs Soutwardly to detach them from the pins 9, after which the plate 7 may beeasily detached from the lug 6. By moving the front end of the pneumaticdownward it may be disengaged from the wind trunk, the regulating pin 12slipping out through the notch in the channel plate. A reversal of thismotion will connect the pneumatic to the wind trunk and the plate t. Itwill be noticed that each of the plates 7 has an opening 13 at itsfront, and a portion of the material of the plate at the rear of theopening is turned up as indicated at 141 to form a finger piece forassisting in holding the plate in place during the placing of the plate.

In placing the plate, the slot 10 is first engaged with the lug 6. Thepneumatic then is held up by the fingers, while the plate is held downby the thumb engaging the upturned portion of the finger piece 14, andthe parts are so held until the pins are enOaged with the openings. Itwill be notice( that at each of the openings 13 the wind trunk 2 has anopening which is normally closed by a rubber plug or button 15. Thevalve box or casing may be cleaned, without removing it from its place,from obstructions near the wind trunk by simply removing the plug 15,and it is not necessary to remove the pneumatic for this purpose.

rhe valve casing 5 is of metal, and each of the said casings consists ofa body, as shown, of substantially rectangular outline, the inner edgesof the side and end walls of the body being rabbeted, as shown at 16,and a cover 17 is fitted into the rabbet. The covers are of such sizethat they may be snapped into the rabbet and will be held in suchposition by friction, the friction being assisted by the rearwardprojection of the plate 7.

It Will be understood that instead of metal the valve casing may be ofber, composition or the like. The mounting of the player action is smalland compact, permitting the re moval of the keys Without interferingwith the player action.

A stop l2a is adjustably connected With the regulating pin, beingthreaded thereon as shown, and a Washer 13, of felt or the like, islarranged at the top of the stop for engaging a channel plate 4e.

The channel plates i are connected to the cross bars l2L of the frame l,by any suitable means, to support the said plates in the properposition.

I claim:

l.. ln a player piano, the combination with the pneumatics, the Windtrunks, and the supporting frame for the trunks, the frame havingchannel plates for engagement by the rear ends of the pneumatics, eachchannel plate having a notch in the side Wall and bottom at eachpneumatic and the pneumatic iaving an extension extending into the notchabove the bottom of the channel plate, and a clasp plate passing overthe Wind trunk at the front end of the pneumatic and havingr adetachable connection at each end With the pneumatic, said connectioncomprising pins on'the pneumatic and openings in the clasp plate forengagement by the pins.

2. ln a player piano, the combination With the pneumatics, the Windtrunks, and the supporting frame for the trunks, the frame havingchannel plates for engagement by the rear ends of the pneumatics, eachchannel plate having a notch in the side Wall and bottom at eachpneumatic and the pneumatic having an extension extending into the notchabove the bottom of the channel plate, and a clasp plate passing overthe Wind trunk at the front end of the pneumatic and having a detachableconnection at eachend of the pneumatic.

THOMAS HOLVERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. C.

